Tanga economic corridor project set to take off soon

Tanzania can achieve robust and inclusive economic growth if the planned Mwambani Economic Corridor in Tanga Region becomes a reality.

The largest ever Mwambani project will include the construction of a deep sea and free port as well as a new heavy haul standard gauge railway that will link the Indian Ocean from Tanzania through Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Co-director of the Mwambani Port and Railway Corridor (Mwaporc) Mr Cuthbert Tenga said in an interview yesterday in Dar es Salaam that the financing logistics were in place for the project to takeoff soon.

“The project was received with great attention by Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi as well as the East African Community (EAC).

We currently waiting to sign an agreement with the government that will identify how the national benefits are safeguarded,” he said.

The project estimates show that it will initially create more than 20,000 new jobs in the country during the construction period.

The region and the country as a whole will enjoy a major economic boom as new railway, port and free port investments will stimulate agrodevelopment, real estate, and manufacturing and shall create thousands of new jobs and careers.

The free port at Tanga to be constructed adjacent to the new deep sea port will host manufacturing, logistics and other service industries. Key anchor activities shall include an integrated iron and steel manufacturing cluster.

Mr Tenga added that while Tanzania was set to have its first economic corridor, Malaysia has 16 thus contributing greatly to the country’s robust economy. Similarly, economic corridors in Hongkong contributed to the fast growing economy of China.

“It is high time that the state and non-state actors’ team up to ensure more corridors with key infrastructures in place are established to link all regions strategically,” he said.

Upon completion, he said the 51tri/- worth hub port project will be ferrying more than 100 million tones annually, the volume that is projected to surpass the capacity of the Dar es Salaam port. He said the port will be in the level of the hub port like Durban.

Mwaporc project aims to establish an efficient, cost-effective and integrated cross-border logistics and bulk freight rail transportation economic corridor linking the Indian Ocean in the Tanga Region crossing East and Central Africa through Uganda to the Atlantic Ocean in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Also referred to as the East-West Economic Corridor Railway, Mwaporc railway is envisaged to be a 8,500 km high capacity standard gauge railway with a primary focus on the transportation of freight.